


the stars fall for us

by baexil



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Found Family, M/M, Witches, coven - Freeform, soul marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28364013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baexil/pseuds/baexil
Summary: “Coven, I call you.” San says out loud, his voice echoing in the way it only does when calling on his magic.“I seek you.” He finishes. With a flash, he feels his energy melt into the ground and then shoot out in seven different directions. He opens his eyes, a smile on his face.Petting the floor, he thanks the gods.“Please watch over us.”
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Everyone/Everyone, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to my nano and the fic that has ruled my life in 2020, please enjoy. also, this is for t heart heart thank you bb

A hard lump is in San’s throat and it’s difficult to swallow around it without tears forming in his eyes. He clears his throat hoping it’ll help but it doesn’t.

The last box goes in the truck and his sister brushes her hands on her jeans, wiping away any lingering dust from their belongings. 

San adjusts some of the boxes, just to make sure it’s all secure and in place, before he reaches up and grabs the sliding door. It closes with a clang. 

He can feel his mom’s eyes on his back and so he takes a pause, using the moment to have a steadying breath and clearing his throat agin. It doesn’t help but he is able to turn around and face his mom with something resembling a smile on his face. He counts that as a success. 

“All set,” he says as brightly as he can. Despite his best efforts, his voice wobbles. 

His mom and sister share a look. They’ve always had a psychic connection that drove him crazy as a kid. Right now, he sees it as a sore reminder of something he won’t see on a daily basis anymore. 

His sister goes first, wrapping him up in her arms. She’s smaller than him despite being older but he’d never know that from how firmly she squeezes him in a hug. 

“Gods bless,” she says into his ear, a traditional goodbye. Pain laces through his chest and San squeezes back as hard as he can. He scrunches his face, closing his eyes. He can’t start crying now, willing the tears to be still where they are. He’s not sure when his sister lets go of their hug but it’s far too soon. 

He hasn’t mustered the courage to open his eyes to look at his mom when he feels her soft, worn hand on his face. Opening his eyes quickly, San realizes that he wants to take in as much of his mom before she goes. Her face blurs with his tears and San curses himself. He was meant to be strong right now. Damnit. 

“Are you sure?” His mom asks him, not for the first time today. 

It’s not questioning his capability or his resolve, but more of a mom checking in on her beloved child, wanting more than anything to help in anyway she can. To protect him for as long as she can. 

“Yes,” he says, leaning into his mom’s touch, her palm wonderfully warm, “I can feel them. They need me.” 

“My boy is growing up so fast,” she says with a smile, her own eyes brightening with tears, “Right before my eyes.” 

San chuckles wetly, “Funny how we do that.” 

His mom smiles, it’s tight around the corners, genuine and painful looking. He’s not sure what to say next when she pulls him into a hug. He tugs and brings her in as close as physically possible, willing himself to take the warmth and comfort of her with him. He wants to keep this last hug for as long as he possibly can. 

“Be safe,” his moms urges in a rough whisper, “Gods bless.” 

\-----  


As much as he desperately craves the familiarity of his old home, the building wonderfully the same even if his precious family isn’t in it, he can’t. Even if he somehow was able to take over the lease after his mom was gone (which he can’t), it wouldn’t be safe. 

He closes the door behind him at his new place and it shuts with a loud clang. He can’t help but to think that the noise rings through his new home emptily, echoing his own loneliness. His chest feels like its been opened and scooped out of him, leaving him feeling just as empty and hollow as the shut of his front door. 

Realizing that he’s just standing there, listening to the silence, staring into the distance- San shakes his head and quickly finds something busy to do. 

He doesn’t do well alone. Maybe that’s why this has turned out the way it has with his family moving on and him staying behind alone- the Fates did like to play cruel jokes and he was no exception. 

His new home is warehouse that feels more like a hideout than a home. He supposes it is in a way. It’s large and spacious but also cold. The first thing San does is put the kettle on the gas stove. Tea always made everything better, no matter how out-of-sorts he currently feels. 

The flame from the stove top instantly chases away the cold and he smile. Already a bit better. 

Continuing with this train of thought, while he waits for the kettle to boil, he goes around his new home and touches everything in it. As sad as he is to be alone, the place will be his home, so he greets each space. 

A hand runs along the top of his sofa, the long dining table, a desk, his bed, and finally on the kitchen itself. 

“Please take care of me,” he says, closing his eyes and letting his magic leak enough for him to properly introduce himself to the warehouse. 

He feels a warm tingle and the start of a smile tugs at his lips. The home may be empty and lonely now, but San can’t wait until he is able to fill it with the warmth of others. 

Ah, that reminds him- 

His thought is interrupted by the song of his kettle. He swiftly moves to steep his tea leaves and sets a timer. Walking away from the kitchen, San pokes around the home with his magic. It takes him a few minutes, walking between the couch and the space between the living room and his desk until he finds the right place. 

Kneeling, he closes his eyes and finds his center. Two deep breaths and he leans forward to place his palms on the concrete floor. The floor should be cold, but his hands are tingling with magic and warmth. 

“Coven, I call you.” He says out loud, his voice echoing in the way it only does when calling on his magic. 

“Hear me,” more of his magic get swept in the Call, his hands now vibrating with the energy. “I seek you.” 

“I seek you.” He finishes. With a flash, he feels his energy melt into the ground and then shoot out in seven different directions. He opens his eyes, a smile on his face. 

Petting the floor, he thanks the gods. 

“Please watch over us.” 

  
\-----  


Hongjoong wakes from his sleep with a start. 

His bedside alarm blinks 3:00am at him. There is no rational reason for him to wake up now- but he can’t explain it but he has an overall feeling that something is different. He’s covered in a cold sweat even though his bedroom is cold. 

“What just happened?” He pants, when did he get out of breath in the first place? 

He looks out his bedroom window and the night sky greets him. 

He’s not sure how he knows this, but something inside him wakes up as well. 

  
\-----  


He sleeps terribly. After being oddly woken at three in the morning, he was not able to fall into anything deeper than a light sleep, the morning sun peeking through his bedroom window long before he is ready to. Hongjoong grunts at it. 

“You look like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” his mom tuts at him when he goes into the kitchen for breakfast. 

He loves his mom terribly, but he hasn’t any more energy than to grunt at her. 

“You never were much of a morning person,” his mom says fondly, petting at his hair as he sits on the ground in front of their table. 

Going to school isn’t much better, he feels hazy and barely aware of what is going on him. He feels like he’s walking in a fog and it feels so odd and wrong but no amount of treating it will let him shake it off. He even stops for coffee at his shop, going out of his way to grab it before he goes to school. It’s out of the norm and the lady who has been making coffee for him for the past year gives him a weird look at his sleepy request for a morning coffee. Not having the energy to try and explain why he is coming to get coffee now instead of at his usual afternoon time, he waves and continues on his way to school. 

As he walks through the school gates, he bumps into someone. 

He mutters an apology, turning to the person he bumped in to but before he can fully look at him, his neck bursts into pain. 

“Ah, what the fuck,” he exclaims, clasping the back of his neck. He almost thinks that the other boy hit him with a stun gun with the way the pain electrifies up and down his body but when he finally looks over at him, he’s met with surprised eyes. 

“Are you okay?” The other asks. 

“Ah yea,” Hongjoong quickly tries to regain his composure, glancing down at himself to see if he managed to spill coffee on himself, he hasn’t. It’s hard when he’s already so tired, “Sorry.” 

Only then does he recognize the boy he bumped into. 

Transfer students aren’t common at their school, Hongjoong has gone to elementary, middle, and now high school with basically the same group of kids. He can think of maybe a handful of kids who have transferred in. One of them being the boy in front of him, recognizing Choi San right away even though they’ve never officially met. 

He opens his mouth to say something else, he’s not sure what but the look on the boy’s face silences him. San is looking at him with wide eyes and he looks almost excited. It’s off-putting to say the least. 

“You.” San says, his lips turning into a smile. Hongjoong is unsettled. Maybe he’s seeing all of this with his sleep-deprived mind. 

“That’s not a way to address your senior,” Hongjoong says roughly, looking away, his eyelids feeling heavy. Before San has a chance to respond, the school bell rings. They both curse and run for the classroom building. 

  
\-----  


_Hongjoong isn’t sure where he is, he’s never been here before. If it can even been classified as somewhere. He’s not floating but there isn’t a floor or anything around him, it’s dark but he’s not afraid and it doesn’t feel claustrophobic. Before he he has an opportunity to examine that contradiction closer, something zooms across his view._

_It looks like a shooting star, bright against the dark background, zooming across._

_He feels compelled to follow it and so he does. It may be foolish to try and chase a star, but his feet are moving almost with their own free will. Starting off with a walk, Hongjoong starts jogging as the star speeds up._

_The star suddenly halts and Hongjoong close behind it. He feels like he shouldn’t be able to touch a star, but it’s so close he can. Curious, he reaches out and touches the star. He thinks it should be too hot to touch but it’s not, it’s warm and… familiar?_

_Astonished, the star splits into eight pieces before his eyes. He feels a bit sad, wondering if maybe he had something to do with the star falling apart._

_Then the pieces start to float around him in a circle. With wide-eyes, Hongjoong turns around, trying to follow each piece but unable to as they continue to rotate around him. Like he is the sun these pieces are revolving around._

_The pieces suddenly stop their soft rotation. Hongjoong blinks, confused, as one by one the pieces wink out of sight. Worry creeps in and he turns this way and that, looking for any of the pieces, when one catches his eye._

_It’s the last piece left of the eight of them and it rises to float just in front of his eyes. Slowly it pulsates, growing larger and larger until it’s roughly the size of him. As it grows just a bit bigger, forms start to make sense and before Hongjoong knows it, Choi San is standing in front of him._

_San isn’t facing him, instead turned to his left. He is staring so intensely in that direction that Hongjoong also turns to look. Somehow he is looking at the back end of moving truck. It starts close and drives off until they can barely see it. San doesn’t let his eyes waver from it. Then he gets bright, glowing, as if San is about to become the star again. Hongjoong looks over and that’s when he sees that San is staring right at him._

_San is smiling softly, the same excited and knowing eyes from when they met in front of the school entrance. Hongjoong’s heart skips a beat for seemingly no reason when San reaches his hand out to him._

_“Shall we go?” San asks, somehow sounding echoing in this space. Despite himself, Hongjoong finds him reaching for San’s hand. Just when he feels rough fingers against his own, he starts to fall._

Hongjoong shoots up from his bed, his heart racing. He’s panting, sweating, again. Sure enough, when he looks over, it’s exactly 3am. 

“What the fuck?” Hongjoong says to no one, his heart thudding in his ears. 


	2. Chapter 2

Hongjoong frowns as one of his classmates scores another goal.

He has donned his PE uniform, but he’s sitting at the side of the field. He doesn’t really want to play football, but he also didn’t like that the teacher took one look at him and the bags under his eyes and sat him out of the rest of class. Sure, last class he may have swooned a few times during their runs, but that didn’t mean that the teacher had to just dismiss him like that. 

“Hi there,” an unfamiliar voice says before San drops down onto the grass next to him. 

“What are you doing here?” Hongjoong asks, beyond surprised. San points out the field behind them and he sees a underclassman class there also having a PE class. The class must be San’s. 

“Okay, but what are you doing here?” Hongjoong asks, gesturing to the patch of grass next to him, far away from his own class. 

“I saw you over here and faked ill so I could come talk to you.” San says with a grin. Hongjoong closes his eyes, groaning. He flashes back to the dream he’s now had several nights in a row, getting awful sleep despite the intense dream. 

“What do you want?” Hongjoong asks, pulling all of his tiredness and the faint concern into his chest and stuffing it away as best as he can. 

“You felt it, didn’t you?” San asks, his eyes glittering with excitement, “The magic.” 

Hongjoong blinks at him approximately fifty times, trying to get his mind around what San just asked me. 

“Huh?” He ends up saying, somewhat dumbly. 

“Magic!” San reiterates with enthusiasm, “When we touched there was a spark, you felt it!” 

“Have you been reading too much Harry Potter or something?” Hongjoong asks. He is really too tired for this inane conversation. 

San rolls his eyes, “Harry Potter is a wizard, not a witch, and he barely knows how magic actually works.” 

Hongjoong isn’t sure how to respond to that. 

“Are you saying you are a witch?” Hongjoong asks numbly. 

“Yes,” San says, his eyes crinkling into happy crescents, “And you are too.” 

Hongjoong has been going through a very strange week and this is the very last conversation that he needs to be in and so he blinks one last time at San before standing. He leaves the boy as quickly he can and makes his way to his teacher. 

“I think I need to go to the nurse,” Hongjoong says to his teacher who nods him off. Though a mental hospital was probably more apt here. He’s vaguely aware of San trying to follow him, shouting at him, but his own teacher sees whats going on and drags him back to his class. 

  
\------  


Hongjoong is washing dishes at his part-time job when he thinks about it again. 

“The way you handle the customers is magic,” the lady who owns the shop praises and shoos him to the back to start clean up. 

Magic. 

There’s no way magic actually exists. 

Unbiddenly, his dreams come to front of mind, followed by the intense pain he’d had on his neck. The way that he was so tired recently, but the least tired he’d been all week was when San was sitting next to him, enthusiastically talking to him. 

Hongjoong shakes that thought away. 

There’s no way. Right? 

  
\-----  


San makes a few more attempts to talk to him the next day, but Hongjoong is proud of himself and the way he’s able to dodge him. Just when he thinks he’s in the free, walking to change his shoes, does he get pulled into the men’s bathroom by his book bag. 

“What the fuck?!” Hongjoong sputters, flailing his arms to hit whoever has a hold on his bag. He makes contact. 

“Ouch!” San says, holding his eye. Hongjoong feels bad, an apology on his tongue before he remembers San is the one who dragged him in here. 

“What do you want?” Hongjoong hisses between his teeth. 

“I just want to talk,” San says, sounding a bit annoyed, “You’ve been avoiding me.” 

“You’d also avoid a crazy person.” Hongjoong retorts. 

“I’m not crazy,” San says hotly. 

“You believe in magic, said you are a witch,” Hongjoong says, “Not sure what qualifies as crazy in your world, but that counts in mine.” 

San’s eyes go to the ceiling in exasperation. 

“You are going to feel so dumb later, I promise,” San says and despite Hongjoong’s best efforts, he sounds completely honest. Taking advantage of Hongjoong’s silence, San pulls his shirt out from his trousers, “Let me show you.” 

“Oh my god,” Hongjoong waves his arms wildly, “What are you doing?” 

“Relax,” San rolls his eyes, pulling his shirt up so that his ribs are exposed. Hongjoong swallows heavily. 

“I get it, you are in really good shape,” Hongjoong says, tensing his jaw to not have any other reaction. 

“I’m worried about the future of our coven,” San says dryly before pointing out two dots on his ribs, “Look here.” 

Hongjoong blinks once. Twice. 

“Congratulations, you have freckles,” Hongjoong says, absolutely confused, “This proves to me magic exists how?” 

San let his shirt fall, now looking at him with furrowed eyebrows. 

“Have you not noticed?” He asks. 

“Noticed what?” Hongjoong asks, why was he even entertaining this crazy dude? 

“Your mark,” San uses two fingers to pat the area just behind his ear. Hongjoong continues to look at him with wide confusion. 

“I feel like I should just-” Hongjoong says, backing up and gesturing for the bathroom entrance. San seems to be searching for whatever patience he has left which isn’t fair. Hongjoong isn’t the crazy one in the room. 

“Let me take a picture to show you your mark and then you are free to go, I promise.” San says. In the interactions Hongjoong has had with the younger boy, he’s gotten he sense that the boy is excitable, outgoing, and generally happy. So it does something to Hongjoong to see all of that wiped out and a calm, slightly pleading look replace it. 

“Fine,” he agrees before he is able to think twice about it. 

San smiles and there is the excitable boy back again. He holds out his hands to Hongjoong. Hongjoong looks at them, quirks his eyebrow, and then looks back up at San. 

“What?” He asks. 

“Your phone,” San urges, pushing his hands closer to him. In no ways did Hongjoong want to give this crazy person his phone. But he also promised to let him go after…. 

“Don’t you have one?” Hongjoong asks in a last-ditch attempt. 

“Nope,” how is even that said with excitement, Hongjoong isn’t sure where it all comes from. Hongjoong mutters something about how weird it is to have a teenager without a cellphone but hands over his phone regardless. Anything to leave. 

San’s hands are on his jaw, Hongjoong flinches. Not expecting the contact, Hongjoong meant to jerk away from but San’s hands were warm. Beyond warm, they were almost tingling at where they were pressed against Hongjoong’s skin. A slow pulse goes throughout his body, starting at where San was touching him and melting through the rest of his body. For the first time in a long time, he feels awake and well rested. 

Before Hongjoong can probe any more into those strange reactions he is having, his camera makes a clicking noise and San’s hands are gone again. 

He almost misses it which he doesn’t want to think too much about when San turns his camera so he can see the picture that was just taken. 

It’s just his ear, normal as always and then- 

“Wait,” Hongjoong says, grabbing his phone from San, pulling it closer. There, just behind his ear, are two dots, directly across from each other. Exactly like San’s. 

“Wait,” Hongjoong says again, this time reaching for San’s shirt this time. San seems to understand, not even blinking at his nonverbal request as he lifts up his shirt again. 

Two dots, directly across from each other. 

Hongjoong looks at the photo on his phone again. Exactly the same. He looks up, wide eyes meeting San who looks at him likes he’s trying to assess how Hongjoong is going to react. He’s not too sure himself, his hands still clutching San’s shirt. When takes a step back, his hands falling away. 

“I gotta go,”he says quickly. 

“Hey, just listen for a second-” San starts but doesn’t finish because Hongjoong has already bolted from the bathroom. 

He runs and doesn’t stop until he is home. Only then he realizes that he wore his school shoes all the way home. 

“Welcome home,” his mom greets when he bursts into the front door. He mutters something he hopes is a good answer and rushes into their small bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He crowds the mirror, tilting his head to the side, he has to crane to see the marks for himself and yes, just like the picture showed, the two black marks sit neatly behind his ear. 

Two dots on skin shouldn’t cause anyone to freak out. On San, it barely seemed like anything at all. But on him, he knows what his skin and body looks like. This is new. Something that hadn’t been there before he bumped into San. 

If that’s true… Is magic true too? Is he a witch? 

Hongjoong shakes his head and he is panting less from his run home and more at all the thoughts crashing over each other. 

And the mark it’s throbbing slightly as if to physically tell him its all true. 

  
\----- 

_Unlike last time, he isn’t alone. There is a huge mass of people that bump into him, walking by and doing their own things, impossibly fast and busy in that way that only cities are. It’s chaotic and it takes Hongjoong a moment to realize that it’s not just the amount of people rushing around that is giving him a rushed sense. There’s a vibration coming off of the crowd, one that sounds like white noise but steadily gets louder._

_The noise is so distracting and loud that he almost misses when one of his school’s underclassman pushes by him. Hongjoong recognizes him instantly._

_He sees Wooyoung, but he doesn’t see Hongjoong, seemingly blowing right by him. Hongjoong freezes, blinking, as he sees him push against the crowd. While Hongjoong was getting bumped into every so often, the crowd seems to be purposely getting in Wooyoung’s way. He is having to shove, duck, and weave to make his way through the crowd. It’s not gentle, he’s basically running towards something._

_Hongjoong follows him, curious._

_The crowd starts to bother him more now too, bumping into him and shoving him this way and that. But Wooyoung steadily makes his way forward and so does Hongjoong, close on his heels._

_There’s a sense that they are getting close to something, Wooyoung speeding up as he goes, using more force to get people out of the way. The buzz of the vibration from the crowd is causing pressure and Hongjoong is starting to get anxious, people swarming around him._

_All of a sudden, the crowd disappears. The buzz goes along with it. A lightness comes over the area, leaving just Wooyoung and Hongjoong there. He freezes, spotting something in the distance._

_Wait, who is that._

_A boy’s back to them. Hongjoong doesn’t recognize it, but Wooyoung clearly does, picking back up his run._

_Just when Wooyoung is about to reach the boy, he turns and they both go into almost slow motion. Wooyoung jumps to the boy and its only then that Hongjoong recognizes San._

_San grins widely, a glow coming from him that he’s never seen before. Wooyoung crashes into him and San easily catches him. Instead of falling over from the force like Hongjoong expected, San plants his feet and they share a crushing hug._

_It shouldn’t be possible to feel what a hug feels like from a distance and yet, Hongjoong can feel the warmth, comfort, and security from this one. He hears them talking lowly to each other, sharing a laugh._

_The embrace feels well-warm and familiar. It almost emits from them like a heat source. The two of them don’t part for a moment, instead somehow getting closer. Hongjoong didn’t think that was physically possible._

_The feelings emitting from them start to get so hot that they shine from it, Hongjoong starts to squint, too bright for him to look at it right on._

Hongjoong just opens his eyes this time. It’s still 3am. He’s still woken up from a weird dream, but this one is a lot less jarring than the last. 

“This is starting to become a habit,” he says unhappily, turning onto his side and pulling the covers over his head. 

  
\------ 

When he gets to school the next day, San practically jumps him. 

“Good morning~” he says brightly, slinging his arms around Hongjoong’s shoulders. The embrace he saw in his dream flashes before his eyes and he shoves San off. 

“What do you want?” He asks grumpily, rubbing at his eyes. He expects some sort of fast and quick response, similar to the conversations they’ve had but San’s silence has him shooting him a look. 

“Why do you look so tired?” San asks, his eyes serious. 

“Leave me alone.” Hongjoong huffs, “I don’t need your witch bullshit before school even starts. It’s too early for this.” 

San tilts his head to the side, humming. 

“I didn’t say anything about you being tired having to do with being a witch,” San says innocently despite knowing that he’s got him in a corner. Hongjoong curses. 

“I’m not a witch,” Hongjoong reiterates. 

“I mean you are, that’s like saying you aren’t human,” San says quickly but dismissively, getting to his real point but not letting that one get away beforehand, “You brought it up this time. Is something happening that is making you tired.” 

So he doesn’t know about the dreams. 

“It’s nothing,” Hongjoong says, waving his hand. 

“If you are free today, I can tell you a bit more about what’s going on-” 

“Nothing is going on,” Hongjoong says firmly, brushing by him. He can feel San’s eyes on his back all the way into the school building. 

  
\-----

Despite Hongjoong wanting nothing more than to ignore it all- the dreams don’t go away and neither does San. 

San doesn’t approach him to talk to him anymore, but somehow he always finds the boy watching him. He’s not sure how it keeps happening with the frequency that it does considering they are in different grades, but it’s like something keeps bringing them together again. 

Magic, a voice whispers to him. 

Last week, he would’ve easily waved that thought away, but now he listens to it. It’s getting hard to deny that theory when his dreams are getting more intense and he’s losing more sleep. 

Sleep deprivation is definitely still on the list of theories. Along with magic. 

Hongjoong sighs, what on earth is becoming of him? He’s starting to think magic could be possible. He isn’t a child anymore. 

He falls asleep in class and gets punished for it. After school he trudges to his part time job and feels like a zombie. The lady who owns the store sends him home early with pity in her eyes. She thinks its because he’s studying all night. If only she knew. 

On the way home, he runs by the pharmacy. He grabs the bottle the friendly store clerk suggests and quickly pays for it. He’s desperate to actually sleep, willing to just buy some random sleeping pills to see if it’ll help. 

He’s sick of having dreams every night. The same concept but slightly different, Wooyoung running to San, San running to Wooyoung. And even a dream where he was running to them and they turned to him and beckoned to him, reaching for him. 

Fatigue pulls at his very bones now and all he wants is a single night of good sleep. All he is asking for is a night when he doesn’t go into an existential crisis, is that too much to ask for? Surely sleep medication will help. He’s so eager for it to work that he takes the medication on his walk home, stopping at the corner store for a drink to wash it down with. 

He blearily greets his mom and gently tells her that he doesn’t want dinner. Hunger doesn’t even compute to him, all he yearns for is a deep, dead-like dreamless sleep. 

His head barely touches his pillow before he is slipping into his dreams. 

_This scene is far too familiar. Hongjoong feels a bone-weary acceptance to his fate and walks forward into the crowd._

_He doesn’t spot Wooyoung as quickly he has in the past. It doesn’t worry him, each dream seems to be a bit different, this one was clearly no expectation._

_Time drags on and he still doesn’t see Wooyoung. There’s faceless people bumping and jostling him all over and yet, no Wooyoung. He can feel the panic rising in his throat. What if he gets trapped this time? What if he was destined to stay here forever?_

_He wants to scream for help, but what’s the point? People surround him and yet he is completely around with no friends in earshot._

_Just when he is about to stop searching, a hand grabs his wrist. Jumping, Hongjoong jerks away from the person, ready to defend himself._

_He stops short when he comes face-to-face with himself._

_It’s him but it’s also not him. He looks different, his hair is long, falling over his ears. It’s also a blue color that he would definitely get kicked out of school for. There are some wrinkles and lines on his face that he doesn’t currently have. He also looks a touch taller, his shoulders a bit wider. It’s almost like looking at a future version of himself._

_“It’s because I am a future version of you,” his older self says with a smile. Hongjoong is ready to freak out but a calmness washes over him._

_There’s something about seeing someone who in undoubtedly is Hongjoong that lets him stop resisting the logic that doesn’t make sense and instead accept the facts for what they are. There is no mistaking himself for anyone else._

_“This is weird,” he admits. Just because he can accept it doesn’t mean its not weird._

_His older self laughs and shakes his head._

_“Just wait for what you are in store for,” he jokes. His future self smiles, there’s something set inside of his future self that feels dependable. Like he knows himself well. Content in his body._

_“You seem…. Happy.” Hongjoong says. It’s not a question, it feels right._

_“I am.” His older self says with his own smile, promising, “You will be too.”_

_He can’t refute it as much as he wants to. If he tried to argue with his own self, then he really would be crossing the line into crazy._

_“I know it feels like a lot right now, after all, I know,” his older self again jokes good-naturedly before continuing, “But you’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger than yourself.”_

_Hongjoong nods. It always felt like he was reaching for something that was just out of reach, like what he was doing with his life now, even as a student, didn’t feel like enough._

_“It’s hard to open up, but don’t let yourself throw away the best brothers you’ll ever have.” His future self says. That statement could feel like a hyperbole but his tone leaves no room for any doubts._

_Brothers. A brotherhood. Fear immediately claw at his chest at all the unknowns of what he is getting himself into but it’s soothed by a feeling of anticipation._

_“Okay,” he says, agreeing. His older self smiles at him and the wrinkles around his eyes look well-worn and happy._

_“Lead them well, Hongjoong.” His older self says. Before he can ask any more questions about that, he turns. As he does, he sees the spot behind his older self’s ear, where his two marks currently are. But that’s not what he sees there. His heart skips a beat._

_A full, clear circle is there instead._

Hongjoong wakes with a start. He pants and looks around. 3am again. He curse, grabs the sleeping pills on his bedroom dresser, and tosses them into his garbage can. The bottle misses, clanging against the metal rim instead. 

Frowning, Hongjoong turns and pulls his pillow over his head. 

  
\----- 

Hongjoong finds San during their lunch period. 

The boy watches with wide eyes as Hongjoong walks directly over to him. He’s sitting at a table with a few of his classmates, but he ignores them. 

“I’m ready. To listen.” Hongjoong says somewhat vaguely for the present company but San gets the underlying meaning to his words, his eyes lighting up. 

“Free after school?” He asks quickly. Hongjoong nods so San rushes to say, almost like he is afraid Hongjoong will quickly change his mind, “I’ll come find you after last period.” 

“Sounds good,” he agrees and then turns and walks away, ignoring a few curious stares and one very intense one. 

  
\-----

San drags him out of the school building and to the football field almost a second after the last bell rung. Despite himself, he feels a smile tug on his lips. 

They plop down in the plush grass. Idly, Hongjoong thinks about how their groundskeeper is usually trying to keep the grass from being brown, but this year its been as green as he has seen grass. Ever. 

Some snacks are pulled out of San’s bag and they munch as they talk. 

“So, where to begin?” San asks, almost vibrating with excitement. 

“Maybe my dreams?” Hongjoong asks. Mainly because he is giving all of this a shot but he still would very much like to sleep. 

“Dreams? What about them?” San asks, head tilting. Hongjoong blinks, a touch of surprise. 

“Do you not have weird dreams too?” He asks. 

“Weird like taking a test and suddenly forgetting how to write my name or going to the store only to find out I’m naked,” San says with a cheeky grin, “But I don’t think that’s the type of weird you are talking about.” 

“Well,” Hongjoong starts to fidget, pulling at the grass at his fingertips, “I had a dream about you first.” 

San watches him, not saying anything, letting him continue at his own pace. Hongjoong finds that he is grateful for it. 

“There were stars and then you suddenly were there,” Hongjoong says, feeling more strange saying this all out loud for the first time, “And then there was a moving truck, I dunno….” 

“Oh~” San says like that rings a bell for him so Hongjoong pauses but the boy doesn’t elaborate, watching him with steady eyes. It’s a simple noise, but it makes him feel less like this is some crazy thing that is happening and more like this is something that is recognizable to San so he decides to continue. 

“You were watching the moving truck go off into the distance.”Hongjoong says. 

“That’s true,” San says with a small smile, it looks more strained than any other smile Hongjoong has seen from him. 

“It’s really weird to dream about someone I don’t really know,” Hongjoong says truthfully. San nods in response. 

“I think you are a seer.” San says with a level of confidence that astounds him. Such odd words coming out of his mouth for someone who doesn’t think much of how it sounds to other people. 

“A seer,” Hongjoong repeats, not really sure what else to say. 

“Yeah, you see visions in your dreams. My family moved out not too long ago, I’m sure that’s what you were seeing.” San says confidently. 

“I could be lying,” Hongjoong says. He’s not really sure why, he thinks he’s trying to poke at San’s logic so that he can have some sort of comeback to reality. 

“You aren’t lying,” San chuckles, grabbing another chip and snacking on it, “You said first dream. That means you had that dream without any context from me and it was right and there is another one.” 

“There was another one,” Hongjoong admits with pursed lips. San tilts his head again, his eyes flicking back and forth between his own, calculating. 

“It’s different than the first one,” San guesses. Hongjoong shrugs. 

“I mean you were also in it,” he says. San grins so Hongjoong continues, “I’m not always going to have dreams of you, am I?” 

“If only you were so lucky,” San teases. Hongjoong rolls his eyes and shoves him, he goes easily, laughing as he does. 

“No, I assume it’s only to get us together,” San says thoughtfully, laying on the grass this time, looking up at the sky, “Maybe.” 

“Maybe?” Hongjoong asks. 

“Well, it probably means that the gods wanted us too to meet first.” San remarks, chewing on his bottom lip, “I’m not sure, only time will tell.” 

Hongjoong hums and rests his hand on his chin, looking at the boy in the grass. Like this he looks a lot younger than the boy who pulled him into the bathroom to pull up his shirt. 

“I had a dream about you and someone else.” Hongjoong starts. 

“Oh?” San sits up, curiosity peaked, “Us together?” 

“Yea,” Hongjoong nods, “You and one of your classmates. 

“Did you recognize him?” San says this with some vigor, getting excited enough to lean over and grab onto his arm. 

“Yes. I recognized him instantly,” he says, and it’s true. They had gone to elementary, middle, and high school at the same schools. When they were little, they even lived in the same apartment building together. “Jung Wooyoung.“ 

San jumps up at that, making all sorts of excited noises. Hongjoong stares at him- not really sure what is the big deal. 

“I knew it,” San says finally, spinning before flopping back on the ground, sighing happily. “Wooyoung,” San repeats, just it seems for the fun of it. 

Hongjoong is totally lost. He’s not sure why the “gods” wanted him and San to meet or why they’d send him some funky dreams about Wooyoung or why San seems to know something he doesn’t. San seems to know a lot he doesn’t. 

“Why don’t you start from the beginning,” Hongjoong finally ends up saying. If he’s willing to listen to San then he should hear all of it. 

San sits up, his eyes sparkling. 

“We find Wooyoung.” He says gleefully. 


	3. Chapter 3

With no other explanation at all, San scampers to his feet and practically bounces back to the school building, seemingly on air. Meanwhile, Hongjoong follows at a heavier pace, fully confused.

“Don’t you think he’d be gone by now?” Hongjoong asks, checking his cell for the time. It’s past the time most students would still be at school. The only reason he was still here was because he gave into the impulse to listen to San. A decision he was now sorely regretting. 

“Nope, he’s lingering around the classroom.” San says definitively. Far more certain than he should be. 

“How do you know?” He asks. 

“I can feel him,” San says easily, even with a shrug. 

Hongjoong closes his eyes and prays for patience. This boy is just confusing him more than making anything clearer- like what the fuck is going on with his magic. Or his dreams. Instead he’s got more question, like why the hell San can “feel” another man. 

He has to quickly shake it off to be able to follow San’s excited gait. 

Sure enough, Wooyoung is in his classroom, blinking surprised when they burst into the room. Well San bursts excitedly, slamming the door back, Hongjoong follows at a more calm pace. 

“You want to see my new house right?” San says but not before draping himself over Wooyoung’s back. 

“I mean yes, but you said I wasn’t allowed to,” Wooyoung says, looking more confused than Hongjoong feels. Certainly a feat. Then Wooyoung is able to maneuver a clingy San in order to see Hongjoong lingering by the doorway. Wooyoung gives him a small bow, San still clinging to his back, “Hi hyung, it’s been a while.” 

“Yea,” Hongjoong replies, unable but to feel a bit awkward. They practically grew up together, but it’s been a while since they’ve actually had a conversation. 

“You can come now!” San says, successfully ignoring them both, clear that he has a one-track mind. He detaches himself from Wooyoung but only so he can gather Wooyoung’s belongings and force them into his hands. 

“I see I’ve got a lot of choice in this,” Wooyoung says dryly. San rolls his eyes. 

“I already know you don’t have plans today, don’t try to play,” he snaps back. The words themselves are harsh, but the tone that the interplay is done with is done with such fondness, it brings Hongjoong right back to his dream. San helps when he basically puts Wooyoung on his back to carry him out of the classroom. 

“All right already! I’m coming you devil,” Wooyoung sasses, seeming annoyed but it’s clear that he is anything but, “Now put me down.” 

San actually pouts when he does. Hongjoong again searches for patience. 

——

San reassures them that his home isn’t far, his arms linked with them both and him in the center, but when he turns into the warehouse district, Hongjoong feels doubt creeping in. 

“You aren’t a serial killer are you?” Hongjoong asks, only half joking. 

“You wouldn’t have had dreams of me if I was,” San jokes back. Wooyoung makes a confused noise. 

“Hyung, you are having dreams of San?” He asks. 

“Not quite,” Hongjoong mumbles, looking away so they don’t see his cheeks flush. Before Wooyoung has another chance to ask any more questions, San lets go of them and rushes towards a random warehouse’s side door. 

“We’re home~” he says excitedly. 

Wooyoung and Hongjoong share a look. 

“He’s finally lost it,” Wooyoung says with a sigh, “I always knew it would come to this one day.” 

Hongjoong is about to suggest that it’s not too late for them to hightail it out of there when San holds up his hands and says a word that Hongjoong doesn’t understand. 

The air around the warehouse shimmers slightly. What is unmistakably some sort of bubble shivers into their view. The bubble is clear enough that they can still see the warehouse inside of it, but it shimmers like its made of glitter. The bubble stays in their sight for a beat more before melting away until it’s gone, now leaving the sight of the warehouse unhindered. 

“What the fuck,” Hongjoong exclaims, eyes wide. Of all the things San has done, this has been the most convincing that magic actually exists. Maybe he should’ve started with the magic bubble rather than the stranger pouncing him excitedly and ranting about witches. 

“Am I dreaming?” Wooyoung asks dazedly beside him. 

“Trust me, the dreams aren’t much better,” he replies dryly. San is ushering them in before Wooyoung can ask any more questions about that, though he clearly wants to. 

It’s surprisingly homey for a warehouse. Warm compared to the outside, much different than how Hongjoong was expecting it to feel. It’s got different living sections and a long kitchen table, even a tv tucked in the corner. San pulls them to the couch and pushes them onto it. 

“Wooyoung you are a witch! I knew you were!” San says, still standing, practically vibrating on his feet. 

“A what?” Wooyoung’s obvious confusion is honestly comforting. 

“He’s been trying to tell me I’m a witch for a while now,” Hongjoong tells him, wanting Wooyoung to know that he’s not alone in the sheer what-the-fuck-ness. 

“He’s got a bad habit of creeping people out,” Wooyoung says dryly. 

“I’m standing right here, yanno!” San pouts. 

“Maybe we’d be more complimentary if you were making a lick of sense,” Wooyoung deadpans . That has San freezing mid-bounce, a look of realization on his face. Hongjoong sighs, finally feeling like maybe this will finally get the boy to actually explain something. Wooyoung seems to somehow speak San’s language and he couldn’t be more grateful for it. 

San sighs and sinks to the floor in front of the couch, crossing his legs. 

“Okay, have you noticed anything different recently? Anything unusual?” San asks Wooyoung first. 

“Unusual like your friend dragging you into the middle of a warehouse that he apparently _lives_ in. _Alone_. And then proceeds to talk about witches?” Wooyoung sounds like he wants to strangle San. 

“Like my dreams?” Hongjoong tries before San can react. The other boy looks like he wants to argue with Wooyoung, but he is practically desperate for answers now. He continues, “I’ve been having some strange dreams recently.” 

“Not strange dreams, magic dreams,” San corrects him. That obvious urge to strangle San overcomes him too. 

“Well,” A thoughtful look comes over Wooyoung face, a bit tentative as well. He admits, “There might be something.” 

San perks up, staying quiet, eager for an answer. Hongjoong admits that he’s curious about the answer too. 

“I’ve been feeling things recently,” Wooyoung says, vaguely gesturing at the word feelings, “Feelings that don’t feel like my own. No, I know aren’t my own.” 

“How do you know that?” San probes gently. 

“Well, in class sometimes I feel really at ease during a test, like I know all the answers,” Wooyoung throws them a self-deprecating grin, “We all know that is very much not the case.” 

When San laughs a little too hard at that, he gets a kick to his shoulder. 

“Anyways,” Wooyoung says, finishing his glare at San, “I knew it couldn’t be me, but I was sitting next to Suyeon” 

Even Hongjoong knows who that is, despite being a second-year, they consistently rank top of the school. 

“Amazing,” San says, awe on his face, “Wooyoung is so cool.” 

Hongjoong irritation flares again. He’s glad they’ve established that Wooyoung is cool, but if San doesn’t start explaining things, he’s going to flip. 

“And right now I can tell that Hongjoong is pissed.” Wooyoung offers, glancing at him. 

“Oh? Are you mad?” San asks, turning to give him a wide-eyed look. 

“Something along those lines,” Hongjoong says because in the moment it feels like the gentlest way to say it. 

“He’s frustrated, I assume because you are not being very clear,” Wooyoung guesses, adding, “And to be fair, if you don’t start explaining, I’ll be mad too.” 

“Okay,” San starts, clapping his hands together, “We are a coven.” And then stops and looks at them, like saying that explained everything. 

“A coven,” Hongjoong says slowly, numbly. Wooyoung shakes his head. 

“Pretty sure that just made him more mad.” And he’s not wrong, but Wooyoung blinks a few times, confessing “It’s weird that I know that.” 

“Listen, San,” Hongjoong sighs, “I have a feeling this is going to take a very long time unless you explain from the top.” 

“I thought I did,” San blinks, “We are a coven.” 

Hongjoong holds his head in his hands while Wooyoung starts cracking up. 

“You are such an idiot,” he wheezes around his laughter. 

“No you are!” San pouts, standing up in a huff, “How can you not know what a coven is, it’s a coven.” 

“Aw, don’t pout,” Wooyoung coos, following after him when San stomps off to the kitchen. While they are off doing who knows what, Hongjoong searches for his patience. 

Clearly San was having a hard time explaining to them what is going on, equipped with a vocab that they don’t have. His understanding of a coven is probably innate for him, something that he has always known, grown up with- not unlike a kid who speaks a second language from a young again. 

He’s going to need to help guide this conversation, he knows it. 

Casting his eyes around the space, he lands on an office space with a small whiteboard. He heaves himself off the couch and walks over to it. He writes coven in the middle of the whiteboard, circling it. 

“So define a coven,” he asks, still looking at the whiteboard but addressing San. 

“Technically, a group of magical people who’s powers get stronger together,” San replies from a distance, Hongjoong assumes they are still in the kitchen. Hongjoong writes ‘group power’ on the whiteboard, links it to the word coven. 

“What about unofficially?” He asks, tapping the dry erase marker against the board. 

“Family,” San says, even from far away he can hear how soft the word is when it falls from his lips. 

“Please tell me we aren’t somehow weirdly related now,” Wooyoung nags. Hongjoong gets the sentiment. 

“Not family in a biological sense, its hard to describe” San trails off humming, “But it’s like being close? Really close? Dependent?” 

This conversation wasn’t going anywhere productive, so Hongjoong tunes them out, writing their three names on the board and linking it to the middle. 

“How many in a coven?” Hongjoong asks. 

“As many as feels right,” San says, this time sounding nearer. He looks behind him and sees that the boys have brought water over to him and are watching what he is doing with interest. He takes the drink with thanks. 

“So our coven could have a hundred people in it,” Wooyoung asks theoretically and it’s not necessarily a stupid question but San acts like it is. 

“No way, my mom’s had five and I’ve never heard of a coven with more than fifteen.” San scoffs. 

“So being a witch is genetic.” Hongjoong says like a statement but San quickly shoots him down. 

“No, my mom and sister are witches but I don’t think you two have any relatives who have magic,” San says. 

“Wait,” Wooyoung says suddenly, “If your mom has a coven then why aren’t you a part of hers?” 

San shrugs, “It doesn’t happen to everyone but its not uncommon for covens to branch out and find their own covens. It’s almost a rite of passage.” 

Hongjoong turns to face the other two, his thoughts spinning a thousand miles a minute. 

“Why did you decide to start your own coven?” He asks curiously. San shakes his head. 

“I didn’t decide, I felt you all call to me.” San says like it’s completely normal when it absolutely isn’t. He tries not to let that distract him from his focus. 

“You all, so there is more of us,” Hongjoong deducts 

“Yeah, I think about eight or so.” San says with a nod. 

Hongjoong suddenly thinks about that first dream he had, the one where the star had split into eight. 

“I think so too,” he says. The other two look at him curiously, he shrugs, trying to play it off, “A dream.” 

San smiles widely, “Having a seer with us will greatly help us find the other members of our coven.” 

Hongjoong squeezes his eyes shut, rubbing at his face, “This means I’m going to have more dreams, isn’t it.” He already feels tired. 

“Probably,” San says easily, not realizing what a burden that puts on Hongjoong. He just wants to be able to have a sound sleep again. 

“Great.” He says exasperatedly. 

Weary already, Hongjoong sets down the pen and drifts back to the couch, 

They talk for a while more, but a headache is forming in between Hongjoong’s temples and he’s not sure that anything feels much more clear than he’s a witch, he’s in a coven, and he needs to find the other coven members. He rubs at his eyes and can only think about how tired he is. How long will it be until his dreams are quiet and he can sleep again. 

His tiredness and frustration must be leaking because Wooyoung keeps giving him side glances. He’s a bit unnerved to be seen so clearly by Wooyoung, who can see through the facade and see the emotions at his core. He feels stripped bare and not necessarily in a good way. 

“I need to go,” Hongjoong says, pounding headache aside, it’s clear that the sun has set since they’ve been talking. They are students after all, his mother will wonder where he is and why he didn’t come up at his usual time. 

“Before you go,” San says, getting up quickly to run to the kitchen. He comes back with a small bottle, “Dab this on your wrists before you sleep. It’ll help.” 

“Help with?” Hongjoong asks, he thought he had been pretty subtle with his headache, listening intently despite the pounding head pain. Maybe Wooyoung was able to silently communicate with San about what emotions he was picking up from Hongjoong…. That fact that theories like “silent communicating” were starting to feel normal makes him feel a bit sick to his stomach. 

“Sleep.” San says over his tangled thoughts, cutting through the dark with his easy tone. Hongjoong gives him a surprised look, San shrugs. 

“Most seers with dreams tend to have a hard time sleeping,” he says, “This potion should help mitigate any of that if it comes up for you- it’s lavender and a drop of something special.” San winks. 

A place in Hongjoong’s chest warms at that, that San was able to see past his front and see how tired and worn out he was. Probably without any secret convos with Wooyoung. Probably. 

“I tried a sleeping aid but it only made my dreams worse,” Hongjoong mentions, feeling like he should be honest, looking down at the glass bottle in his hands. San shakes his head. 

“Regular medicine will make your magic more wonky,” San explains, going on to warn, “And this won’t stop any dreams you have, but it will help you feel less tired.” 

Hongjoong wraps his fingers around the bottle. 

“Thanks,” he says as evenly as he can. 

“Of course, what else is a coven for?” San says with a smile. Hongjoong isn’t sure of the answer to that. 

\-----

Hongjoong wakes up the next morning feeling so refreshed that he’s actually not sure if he’s ever gotten as good of a night sleep. He still had his dreams, but they were hazy and he waved in and out of them with much less intensity than his previous dreams. 

His mom notes this obvious good mood from being so well rested with a quirk of her eyebrow over breakfast. He ignores her and gobbles down his food as fast as possible. In his delightfully clear-headed thoughts, not dragged down by fatigue, he woke up with a very big realization. 

Running to school, even his book bag feels light as it slaps against his bag. He doesn’t see San or Wooyoung on the way into the building so he swings by their classroom and, sure enough, their heads are leaned together over some sort of book. 

“Hongjoong?” San asks curiously as he walks into the room, panting to catch his breath. 

“The mark,” Hongjoong says, “Where is Wooyoung’s mark?” 

San’s mouth opens with an ‘ah’ as Wooyoung looks at them both strangely. It was amazing how with a good night sleep, how much more willing he was able to look on all this witch stuff. Including thinking about if Wooyoung had a mark like San and his matching one. 

“Have you noticed any weird marks on your skin recently? Like dots?” Hongjoong asks him, lowly so his classmates don’t eavesdrop. Wooyoung gives him a weird look but shakes his head. They both look at San who is looking at Wooyoung with his hand on his chin. 

“Odd,” he says. 

Despite the low tones, having a senior in one of the junior classrooms is not going unnoticed by their classmates who are throwing them looks and whispering. 

“Later?” Hongjoong asks, eyes going to the clock which show that class is about to start anyways. 

“Yea, meet us out front.” San nods and Wooyoung protests. 

“You are acting like I don’t have any plans again,” he pouts. Hongjoong rolls his eyes, turning on his heel for his own classroom, letting them have their fake fight. 

“I already know your mom told you to not bother coming home until after dinner so don’t even try with me right now,” he hears San snipe back before he slips away from earshot. 

\-----

The two of them are waiting for him just instead the school gates. San is leaning on Wooyoung with what seems like his full body weight while the other pokes him, seemingly trying to get him off. Hongjoong stifles a laugh when he walks up to them. 

“The day dragged by slow,” Hongjoong complains in lieu of greeting them. Two groans of affirmation while San finds the strength to stand up on his own. 

“If we are witches, is there any point in school?” Wooyoung suddenly looking excited at the possibility. 

“Being a witch won’t cure your stupidity, stupid,” San’s quick reply. 

“I’m not stupid.” Wooyoung immediately protests. 

“Magic isn’t going to pay your bills,” San says, ignoring Wooyoung’s protest. Wooyoung mumbles something like ‘stupidity won’t pay yours either’ and pouts. 

Hongjoong rubs the bridge of his nose. Not for the first time wonders what he did to get in this spot. But with a good night sleep under his belt, he feels a spot of fondness for them rather than the sharp edge of irritation that he felt yesterday. 

“Shall we?” Hongjoong says, gesturing to the gates and the world beyond, “I’m eager to get out.” 

“Want to go to the hideout?” San asks brightly, immediately perking up from his stern teacher mode. 

“The hideout?” Hongjoong is confused, “You mean your warehouse-home-thing?” 

“Well… it doesn’t really feel like a home, so a hideout feels more apt.” San says casually, a little too casually. Hongjoong looks over, feeling his chest tighten up at how obvious San is trying to make it not a big deal. That he is alone and doesn’t have a home. Just two weird friends and a hideout. 

“Ah.” Hongjoong ends up saying, feeling emotionally stunted, unable to deal with the depth of that realization. Wooyoung purposefully meets his eyes and widens them like ‘what the fuck’ when San isn’t looking. Sure, he won’t get any Emotional Lighthouse of the Year awards, but at least he somewhat acknowledged what San said? He ends up ignoring Wooyoung’s look because he’s not really sure what else to do. 

Thankfully, Wooyoung does seem to have a better idea of how to deal with this situation. He steps back into San’s space, smoothing his hand across his shoulder blades until they are in a half-embrace. He squeezes his shoulder there. 

“Lead the way,” Wooyoung says much more gentle tone, a contrast to their fake fighting voices. San perks up, tugging on them to follow his excited pace until Hongjoong begs for him to slow down. 

“Your old age is showing,” San teases, seemingly grateful to be dragging them back to the hideout. 

“I’ll show you old age when we get to the hideout,” Hongjoong replies dryly back. They are walking into the warehouse district when Wooyoung leans forward so he can spot Hongjoong around San who is between them again. 

“You seem in a better mood today,” Wooyoung says to him. 

Hongjoong shrugs, “I actually slept last night.” 

“The oil helped?” San asks, seemingly excited at the news. Hongjoong nods. 

“I feel like I slept for the first time in two weeks.” He says. San looks relieved. 

“Did you not expect it to work?” Wooyoung asks curiously. 

“My mom has an affinity for sleep magic, I wasn’t sure how effective it would be without her help,” San responds. 

“It was so good it almost made me believe in magic,” Hongjoong jokes. The other two chuckle. 

“If I didn’t believe in magic, I would now. Yesterday, it felt like you had weights around your-” Wooyoung makes a vague hand motion, gesturing to everywhere on Hongjoong. 

“Aura?” San offers. Wooyoung shrugs, nodding. 

“Sure. And today, it’s looks like there are sparkles in the air.” Wooyoung continues. Hongjoong chokes as San throws his head back to loudly laugh. 

“Sparkles-” Hongjoong says with disbelief. He wants to dig more at that, but they reach San’s front door and he steps forward to murmur a word. Like last time, the air ripples and then settle back into place. 

“Is it open sesame?” Wooyoung jokes to him, out of San’s earshot. Hongjoong chuckles which has San whipping around. 

“Are you having fun without me?” San asks. 

“Relax, it’s been all of two seconds.” Wooyoung shakes his head, stepping to their “hideout”, Hongjoong following closely. 

They sit at the kitchen table this time, San making tea for them while Wooyoung begs for a soda. 

“It’s not good for you,” San chides, placing a tea kettle down and regular water for Wooyoung who throws him a fierce pout. They bicker for a bit as Hongjoong stares down at the tea, thinking hard. 

“You said your mom has an affinity for sleep magic?” He starts, waiting for their attention, “Does that mean all witches have affinities.” 

“Yea,” San nods easily, “Like you and your dreams, Wooyoung and his feelings. It doesn’t stop you from doing regular magic, but it’s obvious you have favor to one aspect, most witches have an affinity.” 

“What’s yours?” Wooyoung asks curiously. 

“Earth,” San says proudly. 

“Now I know why you are as dumb as a rock,” Wooyoung is quick to shoot that down. San shoves at him, eyes wide, but as with their constant quibbling, he feels like there is an undertone of love in the harsh words. 

“Is my affinity for dreams like your mom’s affinity for sleep?” Hongjoong asks. San ponders that for a bit, his finger on his chin. 

“Maybe, but it could also be a couple different things, like prophecy.” He ends up saying, “For a new witch, only time will tell.” 

“Ooh~ Prophecy~” Wooyoung says it like it’s a spooky word and gets a laugh out of both of them. Encouraged, he decides to ask, “Can you tell what I’m thinking right now?” 

“Mind-reading and seeing the future are two different things, idiot,” San says, taking the chance to shove him again. While they quarrel, Hongjoong things about being able to see the future. Like that one dream where he saw his future self. That circle behind his ear so different from his current mark. Speaking of. 

“Why doesn’t Wooyoung have a mark?” Hongjoong asks, once against interrupting their spat. 

“Ah yea,” San says, turning to Wooyoung, already tugging at his school shirt hem, “Are you sure you don’t have a mark.” 

Wooyoung smacks San’s hand away from his clothes and the other jumps back, looking hurt. 

“Positive,” he says assuredly. 

Since he is unable to pull Wooyoung’s shirt off, San decides to just pull his own up. Hongjoong’s eyes immediately skirt away as San seems to enjoy showing off his skin. 

“See, like this,” San says, pointing out the two dots on his ribs. 

“It looks like freckles,” Wooyoung points out. Hongjoong huffs a laugh. 

“That’s what I said too.” He says. 

“Show him yours,”San urges. Hongjoong obliges, even folding his ear down so it can be seen better. Just like it did for him, Wooyoung seems convinced by the two marks that look exactly the same on the two boys. 

“But I’m positive I don’t have something like that,” Wooyoung says, a frown tugging at his lips, creasing his eyebrows, “Why? Is it important.” 

“Well, it kind of means that you are apart of our coven.” San says. 

“And so if I don’t have it,” Wooyoung trails off. Silence follows as they all fill in the gap together. 

“When did you get yours?” Hongjoong asks San, trying to find solutions. 

San shrugs, “I’ve always had mine.” 

Hongjoong frowns, he definitely hasn’t always had his. His didn’t show up until he met San, Wooyoung had already known him this whole time, so that clearly wasn’t the catalyst. Which means…. 

“Ah, you bumped into me!” San says excitedly, jumping up from his seat to slam his hands on the table. Hongjoong jumps at the action. 

“What?” He asks dumbly, Wooyoung close behind him. 

“You had a dream about me and then we bumped into each other,” San continues, ushering Wooyoung to his feet. 

“And I’ve already had a dream about Wooyoung so-” Hongjoong says, looking up as the pieces start to come together. Come to think of it, though San and Wooyoung have been all over each other, he and Wooyoung hadn’t had any physical contact, not once. 

“You just gotta bump into him!” San finishes for him, too excited and so pulling him to his feet too. Wooyoung’s face looks taken aback. 

“Wait, what kind of dream about me,” he asks, completely stuck on that rather than what they are doing. Before he can answer, San bumps Hongjoong with his hip and causes him to lurch forward with the force, easily bumping into Wooyoung. 

Wooyoung yelps and Hongjoong doesn’t blame him, feeling the electric shock again. The same feeling as when he bumped into San that first time, but considerably less intense. He doesn’t think the same is for the other boy, Wooyoung whining as he grabs his wrist. 

“Ouch, fuck,” Wooyoung curses, gripping his wrist. When he lets go of it, there is a dot on his wrist. 

“Only one dot?” San asks curiously, Wooyoung is less concerned with that at that moment. 

“What the fuck was that? It hurt!” He exclaims loudly. Hongjoong closes his eyes for a moment, even though it won’t help his ringing ears. Per usual, San ignores them both and grabs Wooyoung’s wrist, turning it this way and that. 

“Ah,” he says, flipping his arm so his inner wrist is facing up. Two more dots are there, close together. 

“Three,” Hongjoong says. 

“For the three of us,” San says proudly, already pulling up his shirt to check his own mark. Sure enough, it has three dots too. 

“You think these two dots are close together for you and me? We can never be separated even on a witches mark,” San says to Wooyoung with a toothy grin. Wooyoung shoves at him, but Hongjoong sees a bit of a blush on him. 

“So not only do I have to have dreams about all of our members, but I gotta touch them too?” He asks, already feeling tired again. 

“You’ve got the magic touch,” Wooyoung teases him, bumping him with his hip, mimicking San from earlier. 

Somehow he feels like he got the short end of the stick on this one. 

“We are on a roll!” San exclaims happily, pulling the three of them in for a group hug. His arms aren’t long enough for it to not be uncomfortably squished. He continues with a positivity that Hongjoong isn’t sure comes from, “We will have a full coven before we know it!” 

He’d like to believe those words, but he has a bad feeling about it. 

\-----

He’s not supposed to text during class, but really, what student doesn’t. 

**Hyung.** He gets a text from Wooyoung. **San wants to know if you want to go get coffee together.**

**Tell San to get his own phone.** He types back, purposely not answering. 

**Hyung, please say yes and help me out of this. He’s starting to call it Coven Coffees.** Wooyoung quickly replies. He wants to be mad, but Hongjoong chuckles. 

**I’ve got work.** He sends. There is a significant pause between him sending the text and receiving one. Feeling a bit off about it, he picks his phone up again and texts. **Raincheck for tomorrow?**

**Sounds good!** Is the much faster answer. Hongjoong feels a bit weird about that. Why was he suddenly making all of these accommodations for these two. They were a coven sure, there was no way he could deny it now, but it feels different to Hongjoong. He’s not used to having to adjust his plans for anyone. 

But he likes them, they make him chuckle with their fake fighting even if Wooyoung has a tendency to get loud and screechy. If they were going to do this, he might as well go all in on it. 

**I’ve got a place in mind too.** He texts. 

**Does this mean coffee on hyung?** Wooyoung asks with a shit ton of emojis. 

**No.** Is the easy answer. He ends up getting several texts filled with emojis and gifs after that. He doesn’t reply to any of them, but they make him smile and give him a well needed break in this dull maths class. 

——

Hongjoong’s favorite coffee shop is in a quiet side street of a lesser known part of town. 

Wooyoung raises his eyebrow when he sees it but doesn’t question it when they walk in. 

The store has a soft ambience and kind looking staff who immediately start a conversation with Hongjoong. It’s obvious with a glance at their interaction that Hongjoong must be a regular. Hongjoong introduces them and they bow politely. Wooyoung does, however, leave San at the counter, looking up at the menu as he scopes a good table for them. There’s a four-top by the window that is perfect and so he nabs it before someone else can. 

San looks back at him, lips pulled down. 

“You don’t want anything?” He asks. Wooyoung makes a face, grimacing. 

“Not unless its real sweet and tastes nothing like coffee.” He says. San laughs. 

“Such a child,” he chides. Wooyoung sticks his tongue out at him just to make a point. 

The other two place their orders and Hongjoong also comes back with a cookie and a soda. Wooyoung looks up at him adoringly. 

“Hyung, you remembered.” He says smiling. 

“As if I could forget, your preference for sweets is legendary.” Hongjoong teases, taking his seat. San looks curiously between them. 

“How do you guys know each other?” He asks, sipping on his iced drink. 

“We kinda grew up together,” Wooyoung starts, “We lived in the same apartment building and our moms are friends.” 

Hongjoong nods, “And Wooyoung used to cry if no one shared their snacks with him at the playground.” 

“Hyung!” Wooyoung whines, “That was so long ago and you still bring it up.” 

“It’s rememberable,” Hongjoong says easily but also shoots him a smile and a wink. 

Between them, San had been following their conversation like a tennis match, watching them go back and forth. But there was a bit off about him, Wooyoung can see it in his face and also his new witchy power has San’s aura itching at where it meets his own. It’s not super clear what emotion he’s feeling but it’s not really positive. 

“What, jealous?” Wooyoung teases, kicking at his legs under the table and accidentally getting Hongjoong in the crossfire too. The twin set of glare is worth it. He gives them a saucy smile. 

“Not jealous, though I would’ve loved to meet baby Wooyoung,” San says but his smile gets sad, “I was just wondering what it must be like to know someone for that long.” 

Theres a bit of an awkward silence that San immediately tries to break with a laugh, waving his hand almost to physically wave the silence away. 

“Tell me more about baby Wooyoung,” San leans forward, eager. Hongjoong gives him a glance and Wooyoung decides to ignore the request. 

“Did you not know your childhood friends?” Wooyoung asks gently. San doesn’t seem too pleased for the conversation to come back to him, but he and Hongjoong are both watching San with rapt attention, he really doesn’t have much choice to continue unless he ran out of the door. 

“We moved around a lot,” San explains, nervously fiddling with the straw in it’s lid, sloshing his drink around, “It’s not safe for covens with kids to stay in one place for too long.” 

“Oh?” Wooyoung has a dozen questions that come to mind at that, but the off feeling of San’s aura is getting worse and he really wishes it was getting better. 

“How many times?” Hongjoong asks, genuinely curious but Wooyoung wants to kick him again. Based on what Wooyoung was feeling from San, it wasn’t the best question. 

“I stopped counting, every few years,” San laughs, but its strained, “This is my third high school.” 

Wooyoung reaches over and places his hand on San’s wrist, scooting his chair so he can also press up against his side. It gives him a rush when he touch is enough to banish some of the bad energies in San’s aura, brightening the moment they come into contact. San gives him a smile that is all his. 

“Are you moving again soon?” Hongjoong asks carefully. It’s a good question, with so much changing about them, magic and powers and covens- oh my, San seemed to be the only one who knew how to navigate it all. For many reasons, Wooyoung doesn’t want to do this without him. 

“Not when my coven needs me,” San says, wiping his hands on his uniform pants. 

“And we need you,” Hongjoong says quickly and with a soft smile. Wooyoung could’ve kissed him with the way it lights San’s emotions up. That was Hongjoong- always knowing exactly what to say. 

“If you think we are going to let you escape, you got another thing coming,” Wooyoung says in a much more teasing manner, wrapping his arms around San to physically trap him too. San squeals and does a good job of fighting him, but they both know its halfhearted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> head empty, only thots of san and abs... and looping 'take me home' y'all its a bop
> 
> also i may have left the tiniest hint about something in the future in there. 1000 points to you if you find it.

**Author's Note:**

> ive got 50k+ of this written and i plan on updating regularly, any comments you have is most appreciated, i love kudos too. the rating on this will definitely go up as i finish editing what i have


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